The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Dogs => Topic started by: Bex on February 18, 2015, 04:25:38 pm
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I'm looking at getting new harnesses for my girls. I'm looking at the Julius K9 power harness.
My big'un definitely needs a size 3 but my little'un comes in between size 2 and 3.
Does anyone have any experience of these harnesses? Do they come out large or small? Which do you think I should get?
I'm pretty sure she's stopped growing now (she's about a year and a half and I don't think she's grown any for a while now, unlike the other one that grows like a weed!) but I figure she'll fill out a bit as she gets older so I'm really not sure which one to go for?
Any ideas?
This is them on zooplus - http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/dogs/dog_collars_dog_leads/harnesses/julius_k9_harnesses/194482 (http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/dogs/dog_collars_dog_leads/harnesses/julius_k9_harnesses/194482)
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I'm ignorant, what's the harness for?
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For walking them :)
Rather than attaching the lead to a collar you attach it to a harness. Some think it can help prevent pulling. For me - my big dog has a very sensitive neck. She coughs and chokes at the slightest pressure on it so a harness is a must.
We are a second home to our smaller dog and she has always had a harness so makes sense to carry on. It's a bit too small now though hence the new one.
I've edited the original post with a link to the ones I'm looking at.
:)
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Beware of using a harness on a young dog!!! It can push the shoulders out and cause arthritis in later years. A Halti, used sensitively is, I think a much better way.
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:(
I'll have to keep an eye on Lola then, I believe she's had one since puppyhood...
I've tried a halti on the big dog and she just wont stand it. I'm more worried about the damage to her throat with a collar at the moment
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Just spend a little time teaching your doggies not to pull rather than managing the pulling with harness/extending lead which IME are always attached to dogs that pull!
The best (ie. quickest and least confrontational) method is to use a collar and long rope in a loop, drop the loop, turn on your heel and walk the other way as soon as the dog pulls and within literally an hour every dog I have owned magically no longer pulls and everyone enjoys lead walks forever! Your dog wont cough as there will be no pressure on the neck.
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If your on facebook you could try Katherine (Brown Bee) she makes lovely collars, harnesses - bespoke to however you want it made - (wonky dogs, old, blind, delicate throats etc) I'm sure she would come up with something https://www.facebook.com/groups/250945664956708/ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/250945664956708/) think she has a web page to but may not be very up to date! :)
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Dog games do a perfect fit harness where you can buy sections of the harness in different sizes. Nice comfy fleece too.
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Thanks for the explaination. I looked up the harnesses and they looked quite exciting so I thoughgt maybe for something else. -my dog is a detection dog (retired) and has a harness for when he was working so there was no pressure round his neck to distract from his searching.
Also an X back for when he's pulling. But I'm training him to shafts now so need a new harness for this work.
He was a nightmare to train to walk to heel, tried everything, but in the end a halti helped a lot.
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I have Julius k9 harnesses for my lot :) I've got 2 IDC's for my Dalmatians, and an IDC belt harness for the Spaniels. I've had a standard Julius k9 for my collie before she passed away.
I would say if your dog is in between sizes, go up a size, at least then the under chest strap sits further away from the legs.
They are fab for grabbing hold quickly or helping them over obstacles, and helping with my elderly collie who sometimes had trouble getting up.
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Just spend a little time teaching your doggies not to pull rather than managing the pulling with harness/extending lead which IME are always attached to dogs that pull!
The best (ie. quickest and least confrontational) method is to use a collar and long rope in a loop, drop the loop, turn on your heel and walk the other way as soon as the dog pulls and within literally an hour every dog I have owned magically no longer pulls and everyone enjoys lead walks forever! Your dog wont cough as there will be no pressure on the neck.
Won't even take an hour! One of mine took less than 15 minutes to convince he shouldn't pull on the lead. He hadn't been on lead much before moving down here as I had 20+ acres, so he had to learn.
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I hate harnesses, it gives the dog too much power to pull, as it's round their shoulders, whereas, a lead, if introduced correctly, stops them pulling.
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If a dog is taught not to pull when being walked then it doesn't matter if they are wearing a collar or a harness, they won't pull.
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Get a Canny Collar or Halti to HELP you train him not to pull. No harness or collar or other device will fix your problem. The only solution is to re-train your dog.
I have a 7 month old puppy who is strong and excitable and will pull from time to time (he pulled all the time at the beginning), but I am working hard to keep his attention and remind him that pulling results in standing still or turning around, i.e. boring things. My view is that I want a dog that, if the need arises, I can drop off at my mum's and she can look after and walk him. She is 73. Therefore he must never pull.
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I generally use halti's on mine, they very rarely pull, but it just gives me a bit more control. I have used harnesses but prefer the halti.
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Just to clarify, my girls very rarely pull I just prefer a harness.
I 'free range' them as much as possible so they are actually not on a lead very often at all. I've never seen the point of walking dogs around on a lead - though I do see the point of them being trained to behave on a lead when needs be.
They're generally in the back of the car to the beach then allowed to run free, or on a lead to cross the road and then free to run in the fields.
A harness just means I can grab them sharpish if another, unfriendly, dog turns up all of a sudden.
:)
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The Julius k9 harnesses are fab for that, that's what I use mine for (although rarely use them since I moved here).
What breeds are your dogs? I find the IDC model slightly better for the deep chested breeds, I've used the standard type on my 2 (Julius K9 and Doxlock) and just found the strap sat a high high on them, was find on my Collie and Springer though.
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They are both GSD/Rottie. Quite deep chested, so I'll have a look at the IDC model, thanks.
:)